LittleTim’s Fluval 32.5 gallon First Build

[LittleTim]

This is my build post.

The goal is to make it to a full year of involvement with the tank. Evidently the first year is the real killer year where most hobbyists quit.

Tank:
Stock Fluval 32.5 gallon Flex Saltwater

Current fish stock wish:

A pair of clownfish; currently going with the common ocellaris clownfish
A yellow watchman goby

Corals:
Some type of frogspawn
Some type of zoanthids

 

[SeeSnek]

Sounds like a great plan! Around 30g is a great size to start with. My first SW tank was a 29g.

If you stick with the fish you listed you won't be overstocked and things should go smoothly.

 

[LittleTim]

First aquascape:
I am using this guide:
Keep the hard aquascape off the glass so that the glass can be clean later. I am also following the idea that the aquascape shouldn’t be so high up in the tank that future coral can not be place on top of the highest point. I also left some room for future additional islands. Also, I cut out/drilled small arches and holes in the lower rocks to promote future water flow.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Nice looking aquascape!

 

[LittleTim]

Today was supposed to be the start of water day. Alas it was a day of frustration.

Went to the local fish store to buy sand. They only had one 20 lb bag. I wanted two.
The RODI came in, fixed a few leaks by tighten up some connections both from the factory and my own, started to get waste water. Watched the final stage filling up... and filling up, but it was not filling up fast at all. My water pressure is only 40 psi for the washing machine. Failed there to.

Tuesday is went LFS will get sand in. I will go ahead and get water from LFS for now. A booster pump is in the future.

 

[LittleTim]

Saturday Aug 11, filled in the tank with sand and water.

It is just a cloudy mess right now, buy I hope it will settle down.

I am using Caribsea live sand and RODI water from the local fish store.

Lesson learn, the internet is wrong. I put in a little over 20 lb of sand. I should have used just 20 lb. It would've been enough. Put in some sand, spread it, than evaluate. I failed to spread it around, therefore I did not evaluate. I can always remove some in the future.

Set the salinity to 1.028 which is a little high, but I will check it over the next few days to see to what it settle to.

So the first step is taken.
Tomorrow or the next day I will add the Ammonia and Dr. Tim one and only to kick start the cycle.

 

[LittleTim]

The tank cleared nicely.

I checked the salinity again since it had about 12 hours of water flow.
Unfortunately I overshot and it is at 1.031 wi
Which is much higher than expected.

I siphoned out 5 gallon of water. Since I was already messing with the tank, I took out some sand to lower the sand bed.

Taking out the sand also allow me to add in six gallons of new RODI water. Checking the salinity it is now 1.027 which is just a little high.

Added ammonia, but over shot again and got between 2 ppm and 4 ppm. Since I don't have fish, I add the bacteria to start the cycle.

Checked PH and it was right at 8.0

Edit to change ammonia level from
.2 to 2 ppm and .4 to 4 ppm.

 

[LittleTim]

Wednesday evening check:
Ammonia 1.5
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 50

Friday
Ammonia 1.0
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 50

Sunday
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 50

Now I have to go see if it is moving in the right direction. Looks like it moving to me.

 

[paragrouper]

First aquascape:
I am using this guide:
Keep the hard aquascape off the glass so that the glass can be clean later. I am also following the idea that the aquascape shouldn’t be so high up in the tank that future coral can not be place on top of the highest point. I also left some room for future additional islands. Also, I cut out/drilled small arches and holes in the lower rocks to promote future water flow.

The aqua scape looks good. You may want to leave a bit more room between the rocks and the glass on the left side. It’s easier to clean with a bit of room.

 

[LittleTim]

First, these color shades are hard to differentiate.

I am using thr salifert test system.

Based upon Sunday results and a three test points, I think we are moving in the right direction.

Sunday
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 2.0
Nitrate 50

Nitrate might be saturated at 100, but I think it is at 50.

Other readings.

pH 7.7 or 8, but I think 7.7
Phosphate 0.25
Alkalinity 7.4

I am suprise the pH dropped.

First time taking alkalinity so I am suprise it seems low.
Presence of phosphate is also another suprise.

More data more better. So more basic ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate data on Tuesday and Thursday. So if ammonia and Nitrite continues to drop, 50% water change this weekend or early next week.

 

[LittleTim]

Finally, ammonia is fully at zero.
First, I got a new bottle of bacteria and dumped it in. I suspect my first bottle was not adequate enough.
Once the API ammonia test stopped being dark green and shifted to more yellow, I splurged and got a Hanna test kit.
Next is to do a 50% water change and seed it with some copepods.
I still need to get the PH up and increase alkalinity. I will double check after the water change because why do all that just to do a water change.

 

[LittleTim]

I completed a 50% water change on Saturday.
Went to the local fish store and got my first two clone fish.
2 basic orange Nemo. They are small little guys. They look tiny even in the tank.

 

[LittleTim]

Two clowns

And went today and got some corals.

 

[LittleTim]

Tank. The zoa is not very colorful. Just a brownish color. I dont know if it is just the light or it is stressed.

It is the stock light that comes with the tank.

Setting is thus:

 

[LittleTim]

Yellow spots on the rocks. Diatomaceous?

 

[LittleTim]

Yellow spots on the rocks. Diatomaceous?

I guess the ugly stage has started. The diatom is slowly spreading across the rocks.
Friday is water change. Planning on a 10 gallon change.

 

[LittleTim]

Additionally, added some more to the tank which is fun. I need to curb my enthusiasm as the tank settle. But on to the new team.
A cleaner shrimp

Some red macroalgea

Two new additions to the coral. A hammerhead and a mushroom. Hammerhead in the foreground and the mushroom behind it.

 

[LittleTim]

Still dealing with the brown algae. Got some snails. They are doing a good job of cleaning the rocks. Plans to get some more different snails to continue the battle.
Did a 33% water change and checked the parameter.
Salinity is at 34 ppm, hardness at 8.4, ph at 8.14, phospate at 0.134 and ammonia at 0.25.
Have not check calcium nor magnesium yet.
Feeding the clown fishes daily with flake, the diamond goby daily with small pellets, and reefroid for the coral once a week.
I reduced the total amount of food down and the light intensity down to combat the brown algae.

 

[LittleTim]

The brown algae is much better, but now the green has arrived.

Adding some copepod and more cleanup crew to continue the fight. I had a peppermint shrimp but lost him quickly. I think I did not acclimate him correctly.

I don't know what the hammerhead is doing, but I am hopeful it is doing well.

The other corals aren't really doing anything. I feed reefroid every 4 to 5 days.

The red macroalgea seems to be doing well. I am planning a green macroalgea to help with some color.

Next up is the water maintenance. I have been doing approximately 10 gallons every 2 weeks.

Pictures because why not.

 

[Fishy Guy]

Good start! I started my first saltwater tank in a 25g about 10 months ago. You’ll go through some ugly phases but just keep up with the maintenance and it’ll pass. You’ve started with some good corals. Duncans, Candy Canes, and Hammers have all done really well in my tank.